Neal's Home Remodeling and Design Blog

"Best of" lists are an end-of-year tradition. We look back at the year that has been to help us see a possible direction for the year yet to be. For our part in this New Year's tradition, we'd like to take a moment to look at the 5 blog posts we've shared here that you found the most helpful or relevant in your journeys to remodel your homes.

Each year we release new color trend outlooks (keep an eye out for the 2016 color post!), and each year it takes the number one spot for most of our readers. Color makes a big impact in home design, so it makes a lot of sense that our interior color trends post is so widely read.

In this recently remodeled kitchen, a rich brown color, similar to Marsala, spices up the bay window around the kitchen table. - See more at: http://info.neals.com/hottest-interior-colors-2015#sthash.Nk030hmV.dpuf

In this recently remodeled kitchen, a rich brown color, similar to Marsala, spices up the bay window around the kitchen table. - See more at: http://info.neals.com/hottest-interior-colors-2015#sthash.Nk030hmV.dpuf

In this recently remodeled kitchen, a rich brown color, similar to Marsala, spices up the bay window around the kitchen table. - See more at: http://info.neals.com/hottest-interior-colors-2015#sthash.Nk030hmV.dpuf

"Changing up the interior room color in your home is a great way to bright up the walls and bring a much needed light to the dreary feel of winter. Choosing colors selected by the interiors and paint industry is also an easy way to add designer style without a huge commitment. The interior colors for 2015 trends lend themselves extremely well to the long term, so while the hottest interior colors may be "hot picks" now, there’s bound to be one or two that look and feel timeless to you."

This year, kitchens seemed to be top of mind for many of our readers. Specifically, this post on three key considerations to changing up the style of cabinet door in your kitchen was our second-most popular blog post of the year.

"The style of cabinet door used in your kitchen is unquestionably the most important design feature. Door style and color set the tone for the space, and provide the backdrop to the unique elements that make one kitchen different from the next. Cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and appliance panels create the core of the kitchen’s visual look. With all the options for the form and style of the door, color and finish, and extra details, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. To help you stay on track, we’ve outlined the three key points to consider when selecting cabinet doors that suit you, your home, and your needs."

This post took a look at how changing any one of five elements in the kitchen can have a huge impact on the look of the space, and it was another popular post this year. Our aim with this post was to help readers see that taking smaller steps to the redesign of their kitchen is certainly an option.

"Most kitchen remodels rely on changes to any combination of 5 primary categories. Updates, large or small, to any one of these areas offer the potential to refresh the kitchen, making it good-to-go for the next ten years. Whether you're making changes to these items as part of a larger kitchen renovation in which you are also changing the floor plan, or you're looking to make the space a bit more up-to-date without going into full-blown construction, these changes can go a long way."

The only bathroom post to make the cut in our top five list this year, this post outlined Neal's picks for the best bath products in 2015.

"The newest and best design trends coming in 2015 were recently debuted at the annual Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). For over 50 years, KBIS has showcased the latest industry products, trends and technologies. We’ve picked some of our favorite products from this year’s show for you to consider for your bathroom."

A look at the products and installation options for backsplashes, our 5th-most popular post this year caught readers attention. The backsplash can be a great style-making element in the kitchen, and is one of the best ways to add personality, so it's no wonder this was a popular topic this year.

"The backsplash brings out the personality of a kitchen. Choosing a backsplash for your kitchen is a great way to show off your style. Backsplash styles and materials range from sweet and simple to elegant and elaborate to coordinate with your lifestyle. It can naturally tie a design together or become a stunning focal point. If you need help narrowing down some tile design ideas, or just with finding a place to start, keep reading."